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This issue of RAE magazine is all about change and addressing issues like, What will associations look like in five years?
What will we look like in five years? Personally, I’m concentrating on growing hair and finding my cheekbones.
We deal with change every day. From organizational changes to annual leadership changes, staff changes to technology changes—you name it, we deal with it. The key to surviving change is being ready for it. It’s about planning for it and taking charge of it. Reacting to change after it happens simply doesn’t work anymore. We have to master change and even produce it, in some cases, in order to improve service to our members.
The Association Executives Committee has spent a lot of time this year preparing for changes in our future. Our work groups have been busy addressing issues that will impact all of us. For example, the Quadrennial Ethics Evaluation Work Group put procedures in place to make enforcement easier the next time around. Thank you, Pat Reilly, for your leadership on this project.
The Human Resources Work Group, chaired by Rob Authier, worked with NAR’s Doug Hinderer to develop the HR Tool Kit now online at nar.realtor. We also have HR professionals available to help us through staff changes and in the event that change is forced on us.
This year Judith Lindeneau and her work group launched the University of Chicago management certificate program, which will give us the educational tools we need to embrace change and face the challenges ahead. Cindy Dobias and Steve Franks, and their respective work groups, developed education programs for AEs and for volunteer leadership this year that were second to none. Terry Penza and Brad Scott gave us the very best AE Institute ever.
The work continues. Travis Kessler is leading the Marketing Work Group to promote the many AE programs and services available to us. Ginger Downs and her work group are expanding programs to help us work cooperatively with one another in this competitive environment. Andrea Bushnell and her work group are improving the AE Salary Survey so that we have tools to help with salary and benefits administration. And finally, we have Jack Goldman’s NRDS Issues Work Group, which will have a report out shortly.
My thanks to everyone for their service and for working on a record number of work groups this year. We have so many incredibly talented AEs and staff in our ranks working to make our future successful and give us the tools we need to face change head-on.
As this year comes to an end, I’d also like to thank Cindy Sampalis, Gar Anderson, and everyone in NAR’s Leadership Development Department for their hard work and support. Serving as AEC chair is a snap when you have such a dedicated group of professionals working on your team.
To Cindy Butts, thank you for being such a great role model and mentor. To Bob Golden, thank you for your tireless support. You’re going to love this job. Finally, to my wonderful staff in St. Paul, and especially Wendy Smith, thank you for your patience and support. I would never have been able to do this without you all.
To all of my colleagues, their families, and members who have been touched by Hurricane Katrina, we wish you all the best as you face the many challenges ahead. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. To everyone who donated time and money in their support, thank you.
Keep it coming!
Keith Holm
EO, St. Paul Area Association of Realtors®,
2005 AEC Chair